Do you get headaches?

by Jason Hammond

I always ask my clients this simple question. If they get headaches frequently, I want to let them know that I can help. This is great way to increase your benefit to a client and to build your practice!

Many people suffer from frequent or occasional headaches and don’t mention them during a massage intake. They may not know that a massage therapist can help. They might even think that headaches are “normal” and “everyone gets them.”

If the client does have headaches, a quick assessment can help provide some direction. The most common headaches can be assessed easily by asking a few questions, evaluating the client’s upper body posture and palpating the head and neck musculature. Most headaches can be helped dramatically, or even resolved completely, with the application of skilled bodywork. Posture related headaches and tension headaches generally respond very well to focused work on the neck and upper body. I have found that Deep Massage is particularly effective for these clients. Sinus related headaches offer an opportunity to surprise your client with relief. I get great results using acupressure to clear the head and drain the sinuses.

Of course, some headaches are caused by conditions that are beyond the reach of bodywork. Headaches related to hormones, trauma and neurological conditions, as well as migraines should be referred out to a physician. But these clients still stand to benefit from the magnificent effects of bodywork that you are already sharing with them!

This one day seminar is packed with information that will help you understand common headache patterns and with tools that will give you the confidence to work on them.